The present invention is generally directed to a slidable door and sidewall, and more particularly, to a slidable door and sidewall suitable for use with tents, awnings, restaurant patio shielding and other protective enclosures, as well as methods related thereto.
There are numerous types of protective enclosures available for protecting an interior space from the elements. For example, tents, awnings, canopies, and other protective structures are readily available from a number of different manufacturers for those interested in shielding an interior space from one or more natural elements such as sun, wind, rain and snow. Such protective enclosures are available in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and are known to be made from both natural and synthetic materials, including blends thereof.
Historically, canvas and other natural fabrics have been used in the manufacture of protective enclosures. Tents and awnings, for example, have historically been made from canvas because canvas provides for a high-level of protection from the elements, and because canvas is generally readily foldable into a more compact structure, which is highly desirable for purposes of storage and transport. More recently, however, protective enclosures have also been made from a variety of synthetic fabrics which are also readily foldable, synthetic fabrics such as those made with polyamide (e.g., nylon), polyester, polytetrafluoroethylene (e.g., GORE-TEX), and polyvinylchloride, as well as various blends thereof. In either case, the natural and synthetic fabrics used in the manufacture of protective enclosures are generally considered to be either fibrous, like canvas, or non-fibrous (i.e., nonwoven), like many synthetic fabrics such as vinyl sheets.
A significant improvement associated with protective enclosures, made from either a natural and/or synthetic fabric, has been the development of transparent windows and doors. More specifically, protective enclosures for boats and automobiles have been developed that include one or more transparent windows that allow for unobstructed viewing for the occupant(s) within the interior space associated therewith. For example, transparent windows have been incorporated into automobile convertible tops (e.g., rear windows), as well as boat enclosures (e.g., sailboat storm dodger). These windows have traditionally been made from either glass or clear vinyl. Similarly, tents and awnings have likewise incorporated transparent windows into their respective doorways and sidewalls; however, these windows have usually been made from only clear vinyl, and not glass, for obvious safety reasons.
There are, however, several drawbacks associated with protective enclosures having glass and clear vinyl windows. For example, because glass is generally inflexible and a relatively poor shock absorber, it may readily break and thus has only limited utility in an otherwise flexible and foldable protective enclosure. As a substitute for glass, clear vinyl sheets have been utilized for windows; however, such clear vinyl has a tendency to form wrinkles and creases with use, it scratches relatively easily, and it may lose its transparency (e.g., yellow) over time. Furthermore, clear vinyl is somewhat susceptible to changes in size and shape as a result of temperature fluctuations.
An alternative to both glass and clear vinyl windows has been the use of semi-rigid clear plastic materials, such as polycarbonate and acrylic-based thermoplastic sheets. These materials are characterized by high transparency, ease of cleaning, and high shock resistance. Moreover, these materials are generally not susceptible to changes in size and shape as a result of temperature fluctuations. As such, the use of semi-rigid clear plastic materials as windows in protective enclosures has been seen as a significant improvement over glass and clear vinyl, especially in the context of high-end boat enclosures and party/exhibition tents. Exemplary in this regard is U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,703 to Smith and U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,771 to Sofie et al.
Although protective enclosures having semi-rigid clear plastic windows are now available, there are still several shortcomings associated with existing protective enclosures that need to be overcome. For example, and in the context of high-end boat enclosures and party/exhibition tents, existing protective enclosures generally include one or more doors, several sidewalls, as well as a plurality of windows. The doors and windows are typically opened and closed by means of a zipper; however, other means such as snaps, buttons, tie-downs, and VELCRO are also known. Similarly, the sidewalls of such protective enclosures are typically attached to one another (as well as to (1) flexible ropes and/or awning cords generally associated with the underlying rigid/flexible framing structure of pole tents, and (2) rigid cross-members generally associated with the underlying rigid framing structure of span tents) by means of a zipper, snaps, buttons, tie-downs or VELCRO. The use of such attachment means poses several disadvantages.
For example, zippers, snaps, buttons, tie-downs and VELCRO are all somewhat cumbersome to use in the sense that they require a relatively high level of physical and cognitive effort to successfully operate. As such, zippers, snaps, buttons, tie-downs, VELCRO, and the like may pose a significant safety concern in an emergency situation. Indeed, large party/exhibition tents are generally occupied with their doors open, or at least unsecured, to facilitate evacuation in the event of a fire or other emergency. In addition, the assembly and disassembly of protective enclosures such as party/exhibition tents (and storage of the same) is often an arduous task because of the multiple and non-modular components involved.
Accordingly, and although significant advances have been made in the field of protective enclosures, there is still a need in the art for improved protective enclosures and methods related thereto. In particular, there is a need for foldable doors and sidewalls associated with such protective enclosures. The present invention fulfills these needs, and provides for further related advantages.
In brief, the present invention is generally directed to a slidable door and sidewall, and more particularly, to a slidable door and sidewall suitable for use with tents, awnings, restaurant patio shielding, and other protective enclosures. The present invention is also directed to methods for retrofitting a protective enclosure (e.g., frame structure associated with a collapsible tent) with a slidable door or sidewall, as well as to kits for accomplishing the same.
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a foldable door or sidewall adapted for detachable attachment with a protective enclosure, wherein the foldable door or sidewall comprises a flexible sheet having a continuous perimeter that defines a plurality of discrete door or sidewall edges, wherein at least one of the door or sidewall edges is adapted to slidably engage a slide track, and further comprises at least one magnet integrally associated with at least one of the door or sidewall edges of the flexible sheet, wherein the door or sidewall edge having the at least one magnet integrally associated therewith is not the same as the door or sidewall edge adapted to slidably engage the slide track. The foldable door or sidewall may further comprise a semi-rigid thermoplastic resinous sheet in an integral and coplanar relationship with the flexible sheet, wherein the semi-rigid thermoplastic resinous sheet defines a window. In addition, the flexible sheet may be either a fibrous material, a non-fibrous material, as well as various blends thereof. The semi-rigid thermoplastic resinous sheet may be transparent, and may have a decorative decal or strip affixed thereto so as to alter the transparency of the otherwise transparent thermoplastic resinous sheet.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a collapsible protective enclosure suitable for protecting an interior space from one or more natural elements, wherein the collapsible protective enclosure includes a frame structure that defines the interior space, wherein the interior space further defines a floor, a plurality of walls, and a roof, wherein the roof and plurality of walls intersect at a plurality of edges, and wherein the frame structure includes a cross-member spanning across at least one of the walls and adjacent to at least one of the plurality of edges, comprising: a slide track having at least one groove adapted to slidable engage a rod, wherein the slide track is detachably attached to the cross-member; and a door or sidewall that includes a flexible sheet having a continuous perimeter that defines a plurality of discrete door or sidewall edges, the flexible sheet being in a coplanar relationship with at least one of the walls, wherein at least one of the door or sidewall edges has a welt that is slidably engaged to the at least one groove of the slide track, and wherein another of the plurality of door or sidewall edges has at least one magnet integrally associated therewith.
In still another embodiment, the present invention is directed to an architectural window adapted for integral association with a foldable door or sidewall of a collapsible protective enclosure. The architectural window comprises a flexible sheet having a continuous perimeter that defines a plurality of discrete edges; a semi-rigid thermoplastic resinous sheet in an integral and coplanar relationship with the flexible sheet; and at least one magnet integrally associated with the flexible sheet or the semi-rigid sheet, wherein the at least one magnet is adapted to maintain the architectural window in a closed position.
The present invention is also directed to a method for retrofitting a protective enclosure with a foldable door or sidewall. The method comprises the discrete steps of: providing a protective enclosure, wherein the protective enclosure includes a cross-member, and wherein the cross-member spans across a portion of the protective enclosure; attaching one or more slide track supporting devices to the cross-member; attaching a slide track to the one or more slide track supporting devices, wherein the slide track has at least one groove adapted to engage a welt associated with an edge of the foldable door or sidewall; and engaging the welt with the at least one groove of the slide track such that the foldable door or sidewall is in slidable engagement with the slide track.
In yet another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a kit adapted to retrofit a protective enclosure with a foldable door or sidewall. The kit includes at least the following components: a foldable door or sidewall, wherein the foldable door or sidewall comprises a flexible sheet, the flexible sheet having a continuous perimeter that defines a plurality of discrete door or sidewall edges, wherein at least one of the door or sidewall edges has a welt; a slide track having at least first and second grooves, wherein the first groove is adapted to slidably engage the welt of the foldable door or sidewall and the second groove is adapted to engage a rod; and one or more hooks having adjustable straps, wherein each of the one or more hooks has a hooked end adapted to detachably attach to a cross-member associated with the protective enclosure and a flat end having at least two slits adapted to adjustably engage a strap, and wherein each of the one or more straps is connected to the rod.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be evident upon reference to the following detailed description and related Figures.